Barack Obama criticized the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, warning that cancel culture and government pressure on media are becoming dangerous.
Former U.S. President Barack Obama has spoken out after the surprise suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, warning that the case highlights a growing problem of “dangerous” cancel culture and government pressure on the media.
The late-night show was suspended indefinitely on September 17, after Kimmel made controversial remarks about Charlie Kirk’s death and former President Donald Trump’s reaction.
During his monologue, Kimmel mocked Trump for talking about the White House’s ballroom renovations instead of directly addressing Kirk’s killing. He quipped:
“He’s at the fourth stage of grief: construction. This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend. This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish.”
The comments triggered outrage from Trump and his supporters. ABC later confirmed the show would be “pre-empted indefinitely.”
Obama’s Response
Writing on Threads, Obama shared a report about Kimmel’s suspension and criticized the move:
Jimmy Kimmel’s full comments on Charlie Kirk which led to his show being taken off air indefinitely. pic.twitter.com/Ctg7LL8HWL
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) September 18, 2025
“After years of complaining about cancel culture, the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn’t like.”
He continued:
“This is precisely the kind of government coercion that the First Amendment was designed to prevent — and media companies need to start standing up rather than capitulating to it.”
Trump’s Reaction
Trump celebrated the news on Truth Social, writing:
“Great News for America: The ratings-challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done.”
He went on to attack other late-night hosts, adding:
“That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!!”
What’s Next?
So far, Kimmel has not publicly commented on the suspension, and ABC has not said when — or if — the show will return.
The debate has now shifted beyond Kimmel himself, with critics like Obama raising alarms about press freedom, political pressure, and cancel culture in America.
